By: Tess G. The Story of Katy Brumby
1. Katy Brumby is being interviewed.
2. Katy Brumby is a house cook.
3. She is a black woman estimated to be in her fifties.
4. This interview is taking place in Alabama. It has not been specified where.
5. She was interviewed on January 11, 1939.
6. Mary Chappel is the interviewer.
7.
Describe what you read or heard.
What are your impressions?
Katy Brumby was interviewed in her home in Alabama in the winter of 1939. She was a short and stout woman who worked as a cook for a family in Alabama. She saw a lot of the depression and was a victim of it herself. She lived in a two room home with no indoor facilities. For a period of time, she was laid off from her job as a cook for the family. During this period of time she struggled to find other work because of her age and poor health condition. Katy Brumby then went back to work for the family. While there she learned she would not always be treated equally. “Y'all be sorry when I goes to Mon'gomery.” Katy often said when she felt she was being taken advantage of. Katy also begin to see that as a black woman, she faced complications no one else had to deal with. "I don' guess dey'll let us hear it." Katy remarked when she when she wanted to go to a concert of a popular singer. By ‘they’ she was referring to racists and by ‘us’ she was referring to other people of her color.
I think that Katy Brumby was a very strong willed and independent woman. For one, she went through the depression without relying on her husband. She also found her own job and took care of the family with no assistance. The interview also states that Katy lived in a nice neighborhood, unlike most neighborhoods in the city. I can see from the article that world events and her country were all very important to her. As the article sates, “Katy is well-informed on world events through the morning and evening newspapers she reads everyday.” You can tell from the article that Katy tries to make the best life for herself with the things she has. Katy was only able to go to school up until eighth grade. For this time, she worked for her ten dollar per month tuition by cleaning the teacher’s office. Although she got a very short education, she took night classes at the local high school for a time. She then became exhausted from her long day and had to stop the classes. Katy even made sure that she was always up to date on world events. She read both the evening and morning newspapers everyday. Katy Brumby was a remarkable person.
The Life of Jim Davis
1. Jim Davis was being interviewed.
2. Jim Davis has always rotated occupations to what was available.
3. He is a white 60 year old man from Trinidad.
4. This interview took place at 536 Short Cedar St., Mobile, Alabama.
5. This interview was taken on October 18, 1938
6. Helen S. Hartley is the interviewer.
7.
Describe what you read or heard.
What are your impressions?
Jim Davis was a young boy craving adventure in his small town in Trinidad. When he was eleven years old he got a job as a cabin boy on a ship. He traveled around the world and loved to see all the new place and travel along with the crew. When the ship reached Mobile, Alabama, he and the other members of the crew jumped ship to explore. He was soon alone in the strange city. He got odd jobs and a kind African American man took him in. Soon a court sentence told him to return to the ship, but he wanted to stay. While the African American man walked him to the ship, he sent him away and said “Go, and don’t let me catch you!” Jim ran away like he was told and stayed in America. He found a home with another man. Soon, he once again got his bug to travel and adventure. He ran to a different part of Mobile and found a new job. “He remained with that firm until the Company closed its doors, December, 1931, throwing Jim out of work.” He then went to taking odd jobs for money with his wife Lizzie. Today he once again has a job and is a healthy man.
In my opinion, Jim Davis seems like a person who tried to live his life to the fullest. He tried to see many different parts of the world and take all the jobs he could to learn about life. “Each evening when he gets home he is too tired for anything but supper, a minute to relax, and to bed.” Although some might say this is no way for an older man to lead his life, I think that his energy and high health status shows his work ethic and zest for life. His wife is not as healthy or active, but they still get along. I think Jim Davis is a classic example of an immigrant, traveling to America for a better life, and making it using a strong work ethic and willingness to work.
By: Daniel V. The Story of Chris Thorsten 1. Who is being interviewed? Chris Thorsten 2. What is his/her title or position? Iron Worker 3. What is his/her race? Gender? Age? Scandinavian, Male, 51 4. Where is the interview taking place? Union Hall, 84th Street, New York City 5. What is the date of the interview? January, 1938, 1-3 PM 6. Who is the interviewer? Arnold Manoff
7.
Describe What You Read or Heard
What Are Your Impressions?
I heard one the millions of workers in the United States that is
nearly killed everyday from working in the many dangerous
jobs that people have to do. He described how there was no
way for an iron worker to stay safe working in these jobs.
He says, "You ain't an iron worker, unless you get killed."
There were thousands of other jobs that made people
risk there lives just to keep your job and support your
family.
The impression that I get from this
man , is that everyone else working
at these jobs had to go through the
same struggles. That all his co-workers
were injured on a daily basis, and that
you either don't work, or you get hurt
working.
By: Daniel V. The Story of Clyde “Kingfish” Smith
1. Who is being interviewed?
Clyde “Kingfish” Smith
2. What is his/her title or position?
Street Vendor
3. What is his/her race? Gender? Age?
African-American, Male, Unknown
4. Where is the interview taking place?
Basement of B. Shapiro, 300 E. 101 Street, New York City
5. What is the date of the interview?
November 29, 1939
6. Who is the interviewer?
Marion Charles Hatch
7.
Describe What You Read or Heard
What Are Your Impressions?
Clyde was one of the people in the world that has to
try there hardest everyday, just to get by. He had to
think on his feet, to sell enough to support himself.
He worked selling whatever he could find on the
streets. He used catchy rhymes to try to intrigue
customers to buy what he was selling. He also
showed me that sometimes because some people
worked so hard, they were forced into using drugs
or alcohol.
The impression that i get from
hearing this man talk about how
hard he had to work is that he
was a very good man for not giving
up. If he was going through a rough
time where no one would buy from
him, he wouldn't give up, he would
try harder to sell. If he wasn't in the
mood to sell, he put himself in the
mood, so he wouldn't be out of money.
By: David S. The Story of Crawford Ellis
1. Crawford Ellis is being interviewed.
2. He worked as an auditor for the United Fruit Company.
3. He was a white 18 year old boy from Alabama.
4. The interview took place in Dallas County.
5. 1939
6.The interviewer is Mildred Thrash.
Describe What You Read or Heard
What Are Your Impressions?
Crawford describes in his interview about the time he was headed off to Nicaragua on a small Norwegian steamship in 1893. He was from Orrville, Alabama, where the interview took place.
On the boat he carried forty dollars. Once in Nicaragua,
he earned a job at the United Fruit Company, and was
eventually he was given the position of auditor. Soon after that,
he was made one of the vice presidents of the company.
Crawford started from scratch to make a living for himself.
With his own forty dollars, he went out to look for a way to support himself in Nicaragua. It shows that he was an ambitious person, and was willing to do what was necessary to be able to live properly.
By: David S. The Story of Jesse Owens
1. Jesse Owens is being interviewed.
2. Jesse was a student at the University of Ohio. he was considered the fastest runner to live.
3. He was an African-American boy.
4. The interview took place at Macon County.
5. The date of the interview is April 22, 1939.
6. Rhussus L. Perry wrote the interview.
Describe What You Read or Heard
What Are Your Impressions?
Jesse Owens was born in Alabama, but his family of
8 soon moved to Cleveland. At school, he was taught
by a running coach named Charles Riley, which
is was helped Jesse become almost the faster runner
who ever lived. He was an excellent runner, and after
years of building and building, he broke a world record
in Berlin, Germany at the Olympics in 1936. There is
no record of any human being ever running faster.
By:Molly N - The Lewis Family and Their Floating Home-
1-Mr and Mrs Lewis were being Interviewed
2-They were a regular middle class couple.
3-They were both in their 30's and they were white.
4-They were interviewed on their houseboat.
5-They were interviewed on November 21, 1938.
6-Helen S. Hartley wrote the interview.
Describe What You Read or Heard
What Are Your Impressions?
The Lewis family were interviewed on November 21, 1938, on their boat house in Alabama. They have been living on a boat house since Mr. Lewis fixed up a boat and Mrs. Lewis said she wanted to live on it. They would have parties and go fishing with their friends who would visit them on their boat. After a year and a half, their boat was bought off and they lived shortly back in the city. Soon, Mr. Lewis lost his job, so they decided to buy a barge and move back onto the water where they loved to live.
After reading the interview, I thought that it was a very good story that depicts how some people were able to live happily during the Great Depression. The Lewis family loved living on the water, and an added bonus for them as that they didn't have to pay a monthly rent. Also, I liked how in the interview it showed how they struggled when they lived in the city because it shows me how little they liked the city and how much they liked living on the water.
By: Molly N. -Mountain Merchant-Farmer
1-Dan Smith is being interviewed.
2-He seems to be a poorer middle-class men that lives in the country.
3-He seemed to be in his 30's or 40's, a white man and was tall and thin.
4-The interview took place in Covington Hall in Mentone, Alabama.
5-The date of the interview was December 13, 1938
6-The editorial department in Covington Hall wrote the interview.
Describe What Your Read or Heard
What Are You Impressions?
This interview is about a kind man named Dan Smith that lived in the country and was a good citizen. He always was working on the farm or at a merchant store. If he wasn't he would be fishing. The interview goes on about how nice he is and how he lets people borrow his money and doesn't yell at them to give him it back right away. Dan also lived in his house which also was his store. The store was very nice and welcoming, letting people stay as long as they wanted. He would invite them in when it was cold and he wouldn't let them leave until they were warm by the fire and had food in their stomachs. The interview also goes on about how he always liked to read farmer magazines and would read all the different ones that were available to him. He would say to the people who wanted him to subscribe, "No; I like the paper but I haven't time to read all those I take now."
When I read this interview I thought that Dan Smith was the perfect citizen. He would always let people into his home and would give them good hospitality. I think that he was a good neighbor to have in a city during the Great Depression because if you ever were in trouble or in danger, at least you have one person to trust and rely on when things got tough.
The Story of Katy Brumby
1. Katy Brumby is being interviewed.
2. Katy Brumby is a house cook.
3. She is a black woman estimated to be in her fifties.
4. This interview is taking place in Alabama. It has not been specified where.
5. She was interviewed on January 11, 1939.
6. Mary Chappel is the interviewer.
7.
The Life of Jim Davis
1. Jim Davis was being interviewed.
2. Jim Davis has always rotated occupations to what was available.
3. He is a white 60 year old man from Trinidad.
4. This interview took place at 536 Short Cedar St., Mobile, Alabama.
5. This interview was taken on October 18, 1938
6. Helen S. Hartley is the interviewer.
7.
By: Daniel V.
The Story of Chris Thorsten
1. Who is being interviewed?
Chris Thorsten
2. What is his/her title or position?
Iron Worker
3. What is his/her race? Gender? Age?
Scandinavian, Male, 51
4. Where is the interview taking place?
Union Hall, 84th Street, New York City
5. What is the date of the interview?
January, 1938, 1-3 PM
6. Who is the interviewer?
Arnold Manoff
7.
nearly killed everyday from working in the many dangerous
jobs that people have to do. He described how there was no
way for an iron worker to stay safe working in these jobs.
He says, "You ain't an iron worker, unless you get killed."
There were thousands of other jobs that made people
risk there lives just to keep your job and support your
family.
man , is that everyone else working
at these jobs had to go through the
same struggles. That all his co-workers
were injured on a daily basis, and that
you either don't work, or you get hurt
working.
By: Daniel V.
The Story of Clyde “Kingfish” Smith
1. Who is being interviewed?
Clyde “Kingfish” Smith
2. What is his/her title or position?
Street Vendor
3. What is his/her race? Gender? Age?
African-American, Male, Unknown
4. Where is the interview taking place?
Basement of B. Shapiro, 300 E. 101 Street, New York City
5. What is the date of the interview?
November 29, 1939
6. Who is the interviewer?
Marion Charles Hatch
7.
try there hardest everyday, just to get by. He had to
think on his feet, to sell enough to support himself.
He worked selling whatever he could find on the
streets. He used catchy rhymes to try to intrigue
customers to buy what he was selling. He also
showed me that sometimes because some people
worked so hard, they were forced into using drugs
or alcohol.
hearing this man talk about how
hard he had to work is that he
was a very good man for not giving
up. If he was going through a rough
time where no one would buy from
him, he wouldn't give up, he would
try harder to sell. If he wasn't in the
mood to sell, he put himself in the
mood, so he wouldn't be out of money.
By: David S.
The Story of Crawford Ellis
1. Crawford Ellis is being interviewed.
2. He worked as an auditor for the United Fruit Company.
3. He was a white 18 year old boy from Alabama.
4. The interview took place in Dallas County.
5. 1939
6.The interviewer is Mildred Thrash.
On the boat he carried forty dollars. Once in Nicaragua,
he earned a job at the United Fruit Company, and was
eventually he was given the position of auditor. Soon after that,
he was made one of the vice presidents of the company.
With his own forty dollars, he went out to look for a way to support himself in Nicaragua. It shows that he was an ambitious person, and was willing to do what was necessary to be able to live properly.
By: David S.
The Story of Jesse Owens
1. Jesse Owens is being interviewed.
2. Jesse was a student at the University of Ohio. he was considered the fastest runner to live.
3. He was an African-American boy.
4. The interview took place at Macon County.
5. The date of the interview is April 22, 1939.
6. Rhussus L. Perry wrote the interview.
8 soon moved to Cleveland. At school, he was taught
by a running coach named Charles Riley, which
is was helped Jesse become almost the faster runner
who ever lived. He was an excellent runner, and after
years of building and building, he broke a world record
in Berlin, Germany at the Olympics in 1936. There is
no record of any human being ever running faster.
By:Molly N - The Lewis Family and Their Floating Home-
1-Mr and Mrs Lewis were being Interviewed
2-They were a regular middle class couple.
3-They were both in their 30's and they were white.
4-They were interviewed on their houseboat.
5-They were interviewed on November 21, 1938.
6-Helen S. Hartley wrote the interview.
By: Molly N. -Mountain Merchant-Farmer
1-Dan Smith is being interviewed.
2-He seems to be a poorer middle-class men that lives in the country.
3-He seemed to be in his 30's or 40's, a white man and was tall and thin.
4-The interview took place in Covington Hall in Mentone, Alabama.
5-The date of the interview was December 13, 1938
6-The editorial department in Covington Hall wrote the interview.